Local man reportedly seen masturbating near middle school

A rural Wakeman man accused of masturbating near a Vermilion middle school is scheduled to make his initial appearance Tuesday in Vermilion Municipal Court.

Billy H. McCauley, 65, of 10407 Angling Road, is charged with public indecency in connection with a suspected Sept. 11 incident near Sailorway Middle School.

Vermilion police officers said they responded the report of the man seen by a 12-year-old boy "playing with himself" in a vehicle while school was letting out. The boy reported seeing the incident while he was walking across a parking lot toward his mother's car.

McCauley's shorts were down and his shirt was pulled up to his belly button while he reportedly was "massaging" his penis, police said.

The boy told his mother McCauley didn't do anything to him. She left her car and approached McCauley's vehicle, where she saw him reclining "with his shorts pulled up higher on one side and his shirt still pulled up to his belly button," police said.

The mother then notified a crossing guard, telling the person to "keep on eye him" while she contacted school officials and police.

Detectives later found McCauley, who admitted to be at the school, but denied masturbating or having his pants down.

"He stated that it was warm, but he didn't want to use his AC, so he rolled the windows down, opened the car door slightly and rolled his shirt up on his stomach," according to the police report. "The male was there to pick up his grandchild and stated he wouldn't do anything like that."

McCauley was arrested Wednesday and released from custody after posting bond.